Missed an episode of your favourite show?

Finally watch TV, your way

Last updated: 23 May 2017

Catch-up TV services such as ABC iView, SBS On Demand, TenPlay, Plus7 and 9Now allow you, the viewer, to decide when you want to watch your favourite show. They have a huge range of recently aired episodes of local and international shows, from drama and comedy to cartoons, reality and panel shows and with the new Freeview FV app, free-to-air catch up and live streaming TV have come to your smartphone and tablet.

The shows do expire after a few weeks, so you can't hold off watching them for too long – they may be unavailable by the time you tune in. You will find ads in most shows (except the ABC), just like on TV.

If you want to know more about streaming services like Netflix, see our head-to-head streaming comparison that compares Netflix, Stan, Foxtel Play and all the platforms.

Back in the day, if you had to miss your favourite show, you'd pop in a VHS tape and, somewhat optimistically, program your VCR to start recording when the episode started. More recently, PVRs made saving new episodes to watch later much easier – although those hard drives seemed to fill up awfully fast. Fast forward to today and catch up TV has come to the party with apps for TV, mobile devices, streaming devices and even games consoles so you can watch what you want, when you want, how you want.

iView has episodes of news, current affairs, and kids shows, as well as documentaries and series. There are also full series of some shows available for those who like to devour several episodes in one sitting.

SBS On Demand has TV series and a host of documentaries as well as a large catalogue of movies, particularly independent and foreign films. It also has docos and shows from the newly launched Viceland channel. Viceland replaces SBS2 and brings edgy, independent shows created by VICE magazine. Sign in to create a playlist you can share across devices and subscribe to series to store all episodes in your playlist.

Where can I watch it?

Freeview is the organisation of Australian free-to-air TV stations that brings together Seven, Nine and Ten networks as well as the ABC and SBS. It includes all the digital channels for these TV stations, such as ABC1, 2 and 3, ABC News 24, SBS ONE and TWO, Seven, 7TWO, 7mate, Nine, GO!, GEM, TEN, ONE and ELEVEN.

Freeview FV is the mobile app (iOS and Android phone/tablet) for catch-up and live streaming TV with shows from over 15 free to air channels.

Freeview FV can stream using the Chromecast digital streamer.

Freeview Plus is the internet catch-up TV platform for the free-to-air stations; it has an electronic program guide (EPG) for recording shows.

Freeview Plus comes built into new TVs and PVRs for easy access to the catch-up apps.

What is Fetch TV?

Fetch TV is a free-to-air catch-up TV service that also offers a selection of pay TV channels and movies.

It requires a Fetch TV PVR (personal video recorder) that can be bought outright or it comes with a subscription from ISPs including Optus, iiNet, Adam Internet and Westnet.

Fetch TV plans cost $10-15 per month (depending on your ISP) for the starter pack subscription, which includes TV and movies.